TOTTENHAM'S quest for Champions League football faltered as they were held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa at White Hart Lane.

The home side had most of the game but were defied by dogged defending by Villa, who had Gareth Barry sent off for picking up two yellow cards inside the last eight minutes. Thomas Sorensen was in impressive form for the visitors.

Spurs took six minutes to raise the first shot after good work by Edgar Davids to plunder possession and set up a decent effort by Jermian Defoe, who saw Thomas Sorensen fall on his low drive.

Two minutes later Davids was in action again, drilling a dangerous attempt which thumped into the side-netting although Sorensen looked to have it covered.

It was a double reminder to Villa that they conceded five goals at White Hart Lane last season and would have to be careful against Tottenham's nimble front men, Defoe and Robbie Keane.

Spurs keeper Paul Robinson was practically redundant in the opening 15 minutes and was glad to collect a back-pass just to keep warm on a bright but chill afternoon. Villa pushed Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel right up but had difficulty locating them with their passes early on although Gavin McCann was only just a touch too strong with one attempt to send Baros into the area.

A spectacular break by Davids took him from one penalty box to another after Villa had enjoyed a brief spell of pressure but he was just about crowded out before he could try a shot.

The move inspired Spurs though, and when Michael Carrick played a deft ball through in the 28th minute Teemu Tainio lofted a glorious lob over Sorensen - but the Dane scrambled back to his line to turn the ball over when a goal looked certain.

Skipper Olof Mellberg had to come to Villa's rescue in the 32nd minute when Defoe, who had just failed to gather a half chance a few moments earlier, put his head down and charged in on goal . . . only to be brilliantly tackled by the defender.

Just before half-time Jenas was carried off after a clash of heads with Angel, to be replaced by Aaron Lennon.

The home side had most of the play in the second half but the visitors held on doggedly . . . despite losing Barry with seven minutes of the game remaining.

In the 82nd minute he was booked for a foul on substitute Lennon and less than two minutes later a repeat offence on the same player ended the Villa man's interest in the match.

But O'Leary's men held on thanks to some terling goalkeeping by Sorensen . . . and after four minutes of injury time their point was guaranteed.